"You'll think I'm a bold girl, Mr. Chase; you'll--you'll--"

"Yes?"

"You'll think I'm everything I ought not to be, but you--you can't teach
me what I already know."

"Gertrude!"

She nodded, swallowing back unaccountable tears.

"I never let myself hope, because I didn't think there was a chance, Mr.
Chase."

"Dear, is it possible without knowing me--who, what I am--you--"

"I only know _you_," she said, softly. "That is all that matters."

"My little girl," he whispered, regarding her with unshed tears shining
in his eyes.

She placed her two hands over her face for a moment.

"What is it, dear?"

She burrowed deeper into her hands.

"I'm so happy," she said, between her fingers.

They regarded each other with almost incredulous eyes, seeking to probe
the web of enchantment their love had woven.

"I do not deserve this happiness, dearest." But his voice was a paean of
triumph.

"It is I who do not deserve," she said, in turn. "You are too--too
everything for me."

They talked in whispers until there were two appointees ranged along the
wall. He was loath to go; she urged him gently.

"I can't work while you are here, dear; return for me at six--no," she
corrected, struck by a sudden thought, "at six-thirty."

"Let me wait for you, dearest," he pleaded.

She waggled a playful finger at him.

"Good-by until later."

"Until six-thirty, cruel one."

"Yes."

"There is so much to be said, Gertrude dear."

"To-night."

He left her lingeringly. They tried to cover up their fervent,
low-voiced farewells with passive faces, but after he had departed her
every feature was lyric.

Juliet might have looked like that when her love was young.

Mr. Barker arrived, but she met him diffidently, even shamefacedly.
Before she could explain he launched forth:

"I'm sorry, kiddo, but we'll have to make it to-morrow night for that
ride of ourn. That party I was tellin' you about is goin' to get busy on
that big deal, and I gotta do a lot of signin' up to-night."

Fate had carved a way for her with gentle hand.

"That's all right, Mr. Barker; just don't you feel badly about it." She
felt a gush of sympathy for him; for all humanity.

"You understand, kiddo, don't you? A feller's got to stick to business
as much as pleasure, and we'll hit the high places to-morrow night, all
right, all right. You're the classiest doll I've met yet."

She swallowed her distaste.

"That's the right idea, Mr. Barker